LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 2016, Page 66

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66

OFFICER, BOARD, AND COMMISSION REPORTS

commission representative to the Commission on Handbook was Dr.
George J. Gude.
George J. Gude, Chairman
R9

Commission on Doctrinal Review
Along with the undersigned, the Commission on Doctrinal Review
consists of four additional members: Dr. Paul Raabe (Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis), Dr. Walter A. Maier III (Concordia Theological
Seminary, Fort Wayne), Dr. Naomichi Masaki (Concordia Theological
Seminary, Fort Wayne), and Dr. Steven Mueller (Concordia
University, Irvine). In this triennium (2013–2016), the Commission
has rendered two decisions regarding material already in print and
three decisions in response to appeals from the authors or publisher.
In keeping with the Bylaws of Synod which govern the doctrinal
review process, the Commission seeks to ensure that all materials
published by the Synod through its official organs and Concordia
Publishing House are clearly in agreement with the Holy Scriptures
and the Lutheran Confessions.
John T. Pless, Chairman
Commission on Doctrinal Review
R10

Commission on Handbook
The Commission on Handbook (Bylaws 3.9.4–3.9.4.2) consists of eight members, five voting and three nonvoting. Three of the
voting members are individual Synod members (ordained or commissioned ministers) and two of the voting members are attorneys.
The three nonvoting members are the Secretary of the Synod, the
Chief Administrative Officer of the Synod, and a voting member of
the CCM. The voting members are appointed by the President of
the Synod for six-year, once renewable terms from nominees provided by district boards of directors and selected as candidates by
the Council of Presidents. Current voting members are Gordon D.
Tresch (Chairman), Marvin L. Temme, Richard T. Nuffer, Dale L.
Sattgast (chosen to fill the seat previously occupied by Walter Rosin
during this triennium), and David W. Totsky (chosen to fill the seat
previously occupied by Albert M. Marcis during this triennium).
Nonvoting members are Raymond L. Hartwig, Ronald P. Schultz,
and George J. Gude.
The primary responsibility of the Commission on Handbook
is to provide ongoing maintenance and management of the Synod
Handbook (Constitution, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation of
the Synod—Bylaw 3.9.4). Specific responsibilities of the commission
are explicated in Bylaw 3.9.4.2, as follows: (1) assisting convention floor committees when developing amendment proposals to the
Constitution, Bylaws, and Articles of Incorporation of the Synod to
determine their agreement in language (terminology) with the existing
Handbook; (2) in consultation with the CCM, revising the Handbook
of the Synod immediately after each Synod convention in order to
bring it into harmony with resolutions and changes adopted by the
convention; (3) maintaining a complete file of succeeding handbooks
so comparison can be made between current and preceding provisions; (4) carrying out assignments by Synod conventions relating
to the Handbook; and (5) responding to requests from Synod agencies to propose new provisions to address specific Handbook-related
issues that arise between conventions of the Synod.
At its organizational meeting of October 11, 2013, the commission
reelected Gordon D. Tresch as chairman. Also reelected were Rev.
Marvin Temme as vice chairman and Rev. Raymond Hartwig as secretary. (The commission had previously determined that its leadership
2016 Convention Workbook

would be elected at the initial meeting of the commission following
each Synod convention.) As per a previous decision by the commission: (1) all minutes are to be posted in timely fashion on the Synod’s
website under the link to the Commission on Handbook, with meeting
dates to be posted in advance on the Synod’s website on the link to the
Commission on Handbook; (2) the chairman, with the assistance of
the Secretary’s Office, is to provide an agenda to the commission in
advance of each meeting, with items of business assigned members
for each reference; (3) writing assignments given by the chairman are
to be indicated on the agenda; and (4) devotional responsibilities are
to be assigned by the chairman on a rotating basis.
The commission finalized revisions to the Synod Handbook following the 2013 Synod convention.
In response to 2013 Res. 6-16A, the commission met with the
Council of Presidents and the CCM on November 20, 2014, in Garden
Grove, California, to discuss “making the CCM a more integrated servant of the Synod … ” among other matters. At this meeting, it was
determined to form a committee comprised of representatives of the
Council of Presidents, Chief Administrative Officer, Synod Secretary,
and single representatives from the Commission on Handbook and
CCM to review and make recommendations to the 2016 convention
for revisions to 2004 Res. 4-11 (to assure uniformity of relationship
and asset disposition language in governing documents of corporate
agencies of the Synod) relating to legal and other concerns that have
arisen since adoption of the original resolution. At its meeting on
November 20, 2015, the commission approved recommending rescission of 2004 Res. 4-11 in lieu of adopting a new bylaw which would
honor the intent of the 2004 resolution in a manner more amenable
to legal and other requirements that have arisen since the adoption
of the 2004 resolution.
Over the course of its meetings, the commission approved revisions to the Handbook to be proposed to the 2016 Synod convention in
six subject areas: Dispute Resolution, Synod Administration, Synod
and District Conventions, District Administration, Regional Elections,
and Concordia University System. At its meeting in January 2016,
the commission approved six overtures to be submitted to the Synod
convention covering these subject matters.
Since the last convention, the Commission on Handbook has
also adopted from time to time nonsubstantive editorial changes to
the Bylaws which have been applied to the electronic version of the
Handbook available on the Internet.
During the course of the triennium, the commission will have met
eight times prior to the 2016 convention. All specific agenda items
are publicly available on the Synod’s website under the link to the
Commission on Handbook.
Gordon D. Tresch, Chairman
R11

Commission on Theology and Church Relations
The Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) has
three primary functions: (1) to “assist the President of the Synod
at his request in discharging his constitutional responsibilities for
maintaining doctrinal unity within the Synod” and “for maintaining doctrinal integrity as he relates to other church bodies”; (2) to
“provide guidance to the Synod in matters of theology and church
relations”; and (3) to assist the members of the Synod in their witness
regarding “societies, lodges, cults, or any organizations of an unchristian or anti-Christian character” (2013 Bylaws 3.9.5.2 to 3.9.5.4).
This includes responding to expressions of dissent (Bylaw 1.8) and
approving church body requests for altar and pulpit fellowship (Bylaw
3.9.5.2.2). It renders official theological opinions as requested or mandated by the Synod Bylaws.